How to build support: influencing politicians /policymakers

Hi again, For all you activists out there, check out this really terrific piece of work from some really interesting collaborators – and all their materials are available for others to use. Really useful stuff on how to explain the issues affecting people with multiple needs so that politicians and policymakers can understand the issues and the people better and thus, should be more able and willing to really listen.

Voices from the Frontline is an “exciting new project to bring the voices of people with multiple needs and those who support them to the heart of the policy debate.” Click here for more info. I love their thinking! Opportunity Nottingham exist to help people fighting at least three of the following: Reoffending, substance misuse, homelessness and mental ill health. “In achieving our primary goal of helping people we are also going to change the way the existing system of support works.” Bloody fantastic! I love this new way people are starting to think regarding issues of homelessness and incarceration, mental health problems and drug use etc; we have developed certain tools of empowerment -now we need to cross that divide, find out how we can make politicians really, but really understand our issues. Places where we can find the common ground, the language; As they say in the notes of what came out of their collaboration, “We need to move away from defensive practice. Services can help people raise their voice, but they’re not really listening if they’re only defending their own position”. So true, so true. Visit these sites my friends, for some really useful tips.

Bye for now – and thanks to the people working so hard to develop these amazing organisations and work towards changing the minds of some of the stubbonist in society – the politicians and policymakers!!

Here is the piece below…

How to build support: frontline tips for influencing politicians and policymakers

Last Wednesday, a number of participants in Voices from the Frontline traveled to the Multiple Needs Summit in London. Over the last few months, all of them have been involved in a conversation about what the next government should do to improve support for people with multiple needs.

A big part of this conversation has been about how to explain the issues affecting them so that politicians and policymakers can understand and will listen. For that reason, we held a joint workshop with Opportunity Nottingham (an organisation improving services for people with complex needs in the city) to explore this.

One thing was clear: there’s a huge amount of knowledge out there about how to put the case across. Here are some of the best tips that people had.

Get the right people in the room, and you’ll get the right answers. Go into a room feeling confident. Get people to listen to what you say (even if they roll their eyes.)

Bring people together and get them to talk about a real case study. Then they’ll realise that languages are different, and there are other worlds they very rarely think about.

Beware of ‘innovation fatigue’. For instance, someone explaining Fulfilling Lives (a major programme to help local areas improve how they work with complex needs) met with people saying “you’re just another person coming to my meetings – we’ll never see you again”.

Sometimes the bad news and bad stereotypes that exist can make it really difficult. It can help to capitalise on them, though. “If I don’t address those stereotypes, we haven’t had a conversation.”

The higher people are up, the less they know about what’s happening down below. Build relationships based on helping them see what’s happening. How do you bring things that don’t work to their attention?

We need to move away from defensive practice. Services can help people raise their voice, but they’re not really listening if they’re only defending their own position.

Be a critical friend. Or, as one person put it, “don’t throw a strop.”

Finally, don’t assume a divide between policy people and lived experience. There can be more overlap in their knowledge and interests than we sometimes assume.

If you want to think about how your own organisation could do more to influence decision-makers, Opportunity Nottingham have produced a brilliant handout summarising some of the things they’ve learned. Feel free to share it with others who you think might find it helpful.

Making Every Adult Matter

Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) is a coalition of four national charities – Clinks, DrugScope, Homeless Link and Mind – formed to influence policy and services for adults facing multiple needs and exclusions. Together the charities represent over 1600 frontline organisations working in the criminal justice, drug and alcohol treatment, homelessness and mental health sectors.

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